Double Trouble
by OnceUponAShipper
Summary: Emma and Regina are happily spending the day with their twins, when it finally happens... The toddler's magic makes itself known, and the mothers are faced with the same decision as before! SwanQueen!


**A/N - **Time keeps moving for this family. Unfortunately, I can't write about every day of their life, as it would take a while to get to the good stuff, but I'll try and capture the most important events ;-) Several more short ones to come, followed by a long one! Reviews are welcome and appreciated! Enjoy!

* * *

Before the twins were born, and before she knew they were twins, Emma had wondered if she and Regina would have to bind the baby's magic the way they'd done Dani's. Using magic on her children was rocky territory for Emma. It wasn't that she hated the act of magic; she found that it came in handy sometimes, but she didn't like having to use it on the kids. She didn't even think that she'd have to until Dani summoned a bowl of applesauce out of nowhere.

It happened while Daniela was on a play date. She'd never know the events that took place on that day. At least, not until she was older.

Emma and Regina were in the living room with the twins; they were just a month shy of turning two years old. Dakota was climbing on Emma while August was playing kitchen with Regina. It was all perfectly innocent.

"Dakota, watch ma ma's eyes," Emma grunted as the two year-old clambered onto her mother's shoulders. "There you go."

"It's almost lunch time, you two," Regina said as she looked down at her watch. With a soft groan, Regina hoisted herself off of the floor and brushed her slacks. She held a hand down to Emma and pulled her wife up to eye-level. "I'm- I don't even know how old- and you're the one stuck on the floor," she chuckled.

"Yeah, well, eight years of chasing reckless men, your bones'd be tired too."

"You might want to be careful how you phrase that, dear. If I didn't know any better-"

"Ah, whatever," Emma waved dismissively. "Let's just get the food." Regina let a deep laugh vibrate through her lips as Emma slipped her hand into the brunette's. "I've got my eye on you two," she said to twins. The toddlers were happily playing away, too busy to notice Emma's warning.

The mothers dipped into the kitchen and reported to their stations. Regina did the actual making of the food, while Emma handed her the ingredients. That day, the main dish was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. "We're going to have buy them knew clothes again," Regina mused. "August's grown another inch in the last month."

"Dakota can wear Dani's old clothes. August, I mean, he could wear Dani's clothes, too, but..." she trailed off in light giggles. She watched adoringly as Regina casually spread the chunky peanut butter onto the whole wheat bread, until she heard a crashing sound in the living room. Without a word, Emma ran into the next room and stopped dead in her tracks. "Uh... Regina?" The brunette was on Emma's heels when she saw it too. "Is that what I think it is?"

The two women stared as August levitated plastic building blocks. Dakota didn't miss out on any of the fun, as she helped her brother in his antics. With the finesse of a practiced witch, Dakota waved a hand and the stuffed animals danced in the air. "Gods," Regina breathed heavily.

At Regina's voice, the twins let go of their play things and the parents watched them fall back onto the carpet. Emma took careful steps towards her children, as if she were advancing on armed robbers. "Hey babies, it's- it's just ma ma," she stammered. "Just ma ma and mommy."

"Emma, for goodness sake, they're not going to attack you," Regina patronized. She glided past the blonde and bent down next to the twins. "August, sweetie," she said gently, "can you show mommy again?" Though the children were young, their comprehension levels were astounding.

"Gina?! Are you insane?!"

"Relax, dear. I'm merely confirming that what we saw was... what we saw." Regina laid a loving hand on her son's back and smiled down at him. "It's ok. You can do it again." Understanding his mother's calm tone more than the words, August raised his hand and the multi-colored blocks followed his lead.

"Ok, it's what we thought it was," Emma said nervously.

"August, can you bring them back down?" Regina asked the little boy. Without blinking, August brought the blocks back to the floor. Regina turned and faced her daughter, the same maternal smile on her face. "Dakota-"

"No. We already know what it is." Emma was firm. She didn't need to watch Dakota use her powers again. "Let's just do it and get it over with."

Regina stood up and maintained her calm manner. "Why rush? If we do this, there's no going back. We'll have to wait until they're 10 years old."

Emma jutted out her jaw. "I know."

The brunette nodded tenderly. In a puff of purple smoke, the scroll that Gold had given Regina appeared in her hand. August and Dakota hardly flinched at the sudden debut. Regina and Emma locked eyes in preparation. With a heavy heart, Regina sat on the floor next to her babies. They looked at their mother with excited smiles, unaware that their newfound powers would disappear and that their parents would spend years trying making up for it. "Are we sure we want to do this?" Regina asked quietly.

Emma took a seat next to her wife and pulled Dakota into her lap; the little girl innocently chewed on her teething ring. "We have to, Gina. It's too dangerous."

The brunette glared at the weathered spell in her hand and the same feeling washed over her as it had two years ago. "They're going to hate us. All three of them. When they find out, they're going-"

"They'll understand," Emma said. She was trying to convince herself more than Regina. The same thought had crossed her mind.

"Will they?" Regina asked, despair in her voice.

"Eventually, yeah." Dakota squirmed in Emma's arms as she wanted to play with August. When Emma let the eager child go, she took Regina's hand. "We have to," she repeated.

Regina inhaled deeply and held the scroll in front of her. Emma looked away, unable to force herself to watch the magic take place. With a silent prayer for forgiveness, Regina moved her hand over the ancient letters. Each ink marking flew off of the page and surrounded the twins, just as it had Dani. Neither one of the kids seemed frightened or worried; it wasn't painful. When the smoke cleared, Dakota and August were still playing with each other. Emma turned and opened one eye to make sure it was clear before letting out a long-held breath. "Dakota? August?" Regina approached them slowly.

"'Ommy," August grinned.

"Did it work?" Emma asked, her hand outstretched towards Dakota.

Regina examined her baby boy and nodded to herself. "I think so." August held his arms up to Regina, a silent plea to be held. She rocked her son in slowly, his heart beat against her own chest.

Emma read the expression of worry on her wife's face; it was the same thing Emma felt inside. "They're not gonna hate us, Gina."

Regina brushed August's curls out of his eyes. She tightened her jaw and in a soft whisper, said, "We'll see."


End file.
